South Korean icebreaker Araon
The South Korean icebreaker Araon and the fishing vessel Chiyo Maru No 3 may reach the stricken Russian fishing vessel Sparta on Christmas Day. The Sparta is a 157 feet long fishing vessel with a crew of 32 aboard which was holed below the waterline after striking sea ice in the Ross Sea off Antarctica on December 16th. Supplies, including two pumps and material to patch the damaged hull, have been air-dropped to the ship by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. With the new pumps and repairs made by the crew the Sparta is reportedly no longer in danger of sinking. The icebreaker Araon will clear a path through the ice for Sparta and the Chiyo Maru No 3, which is a sister vessel to the Sparta.